


A Tale of Two Hoods

by GothamRogue81



Category: Batman - All Media Types, batfam - Fandom
Genre: Batfamily Feels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2018-09-03 15:03:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8718439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothamRogue81/pseuds/GothamRogue81
Summary: So I was on Tumblr and came across a few fan requests of fanfics/canon involving Stephanie Brown realizing and trying to convince the rest of the Batfamily that Jason Todd isn't all bad.  I also am a fan of Steph and enjoy being able to write her in a better light than the actual comic book writers tend to portray her.  So I've written this little piece, teasing one item that I may or may not explore further, depending on the response I get.  As always, your thoughts/comments/kudos are greatly apprecaited (and help to put my self-conscious/self-deprecating psyche at ease slightly).   Hope you enjoy..





	1. The Beginning of an Unexpected Friendship

In a house in Otisburg, a man sat on the edge of a little girl’s bed. The 1 year old blonde girl laid tucked in beneath her pink comforter as the man read from a book to her. She smiled and yawned slightly, her eyes fluttering as she slowly drifted off to sleep. From a rooftop across the street, a hooded figure watched intently.

“You know you shouldn’t be here,” a voice called out from the darkness behind the figure. 

Stephanie Brown turned, reaching up and wiping a tear away from her cheek beneath her purple Spoiler hood. Jason walked out from the shadows. She didn’t know what to say. “I…I was just checking in on her,” she finally said. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

He approached her and looked out across the street. “She seems ok to me,” he said. “Safe and sound beneath her sheets, ready to dream of sugarplums and fairies I’m sure.” Stephanie stayed silent, watching the daughter she had given up for adoption a year ago drift off to sleep. “But that’s not really why you came, is it?”

Stephanie stood up and walked away from him. “Just leave me alone,” she said.

“Ya know, I think I get why you take so much slack from the family. I mean, you’re a girl who gave up her child at birth, surrounded by a bunch of orphans,” he laughed. “It’s kind of poetic, right?”

She didn’t say anything, but beneath the hood, her eyes welled up with tears and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. She clenched her fists, ready to turn around and take a swing at him as he approached her from behind, but she stopped as he spoke again. “They’re wrong though. I mean, they love you, in their own certain ways. Hell, even Damian has respect for you deep down,” he began. “But I know why you did it, and why it was the right choice. And I get that it breaks your heart everyday,” he said, “But that only stands to prove that you are stronger than they realize.”

She looked at him and he lifted her hood, and wiped the tears from her face. “Come here kid,” he said as he pulled her into him and she hugged him tight. “She is safer where she is and someday, she might seek you out and you can get to know her, but for now, she’s where she should be and so are you,” he said. “You protect her without her even knowing it, by being Batgirl,” he said. She burst into tears and sobbed again. “Alright, alright…take it easy.”

“You’re not all bad…” she said to him. “You know that right?” she asked, looking up.

He smirked. “I can’t have the others thinking that. I have a reputation of black sheep to live up to,” he said. “So this stays between us, ok?”

“Cass knows it too ya know,” she said. “I think they all do…even Bruce,” she said.

He let her go and turned away. “He doesn’t care. He’s so wrapped up in his own perfect existence up there on his high horse.” Now it was his turn to clench his fists. 

“It’s true Jay. I used to hear him and Alfred. He longs for a better relationship with you, but he isn’t good at that stuff. He’s cold and you can’t blame him after everything that’s he gone through. His parents, YOU! Talia…Bane…Joker…Barbara….Now Alfred….the list goes on and on. He’s suffered more than any of us combined. And he gets you back, but you’re not the same and it’s not your fault and he knows that, but he can’t get over it. He loves you. He loves all of you. I feel like all of you are the only thing that keeps him going anymore,” she said. She sat down on an a/c vent, sighing. 

“He just doesn’t get it, ya know? I mean, I get Cassie’s whole mantra of no killing. She was raised to be a killing machine, so on principal alone, she chooses not to use lethal force, but him?!? His whole mission was to become a symbol that criminals would fear. But who is going to truly fear someone they know is not going to kill them?” he grumbled, his hands grazing the sidearms at his waist.

“But they do fear him. They fear all of us,” she said. “They may not fear for their lives, but they fear for their bodies, and their minds. They fear Arkham and Blackgate,” she said. 

“And they fear me,” he growled. 

She stood up and walked over to him. “Do you think HE fears you? Do you think your guns or your threat of violence and death keep HIM awake like what he did to you keeps YOU awake?” she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t get me wrong Jason. I understand why you do what you do. And I’ve learned what the Lazarus Pit can do to a person once it’s brought someone back. I get your struggle and I don’t judge you. Sometimes, I even think you’re right,” she said. 

He stayed silent, but didn’t move away from her or her hand. “If Tim hadn’t stopped me, I would have ended my father’s wretched life myself. I’m glad he did, and that I didn’t….but sometimes I feel differently. So I get why you feel the way you do Jay…I really do,” she said.

He stayed silent for a minute. He chuckled to himself suddenly, walking to the edge of the roof. “Ya know kid, I don’t think Tim realized what he had,” he said with a smirk before dropping off the edge and swinging down to the alley below where his motorcycle was parked. 

The comment caught her off guard and blushing, she went to the edge and looked down but he was already starting up his bike and riding out into the night. She shook her head. 

As she left the rooftop, Tim and Cassandra stepped out of the shadows. Cass put her hand on his shoulder as he hung his head.


	2. A Call to Question

The table was quiet at dinner. Bruce looked around at all of them. "So, is anyone going to say anything...about anything. At all?" he asked.

"Nope," Damian said, not looking up as he took a bite from a slice of pizza. Dinner had been lax since Alfred had passed. Bruce had vowed to start preparing full, healthier meals, but in the meantime, subs and pizza were the standard dinners at Wayne Manor. 

"Anything at all?" Stephanie asked. Damian looked up, suddenly interested in what might be about to unfold. Cassie tapped Stephanie's leg under the table, but Stephanie ignored it. "Because there is something that I've been curious about," she started.

They all looked at each other, then to Stephanie, and then to Bruce, waiting for the question to be asked, and him to answer. "I'm just wondering why Jason is never invited over for dinner?" she asked, nonchalantly, taking a sip of her Diet Coke. The others all turned to Bruce. Dick, Cassie and Tim were nervous, but Barbara and Damian both had knowing grins, waiting to watch Bruce's response.

Bruce froze mid-bite. Everyone held their breath. "Jason isn't like us," Bruce replied. "He's doesn't live by our code, and so he isn't welcome here," he said. 

"But he fights alongside us," she asked. "He's your son,"

"Stephanie..." Tim said, trying to cut off the conversation.

"No, it's ok. We can talk about it," Bruce said, wiping his lips with a napkin and looking up at the table. "Stephanie, Jason isn't who he was before. When you come back the way he did...by the means in which he was brought back...you change. He is out there thinking that his way is the only way that will work. But it's not. Do I love him any less? No, I don't. But I don't a murderer at this table," he said.

Things were silent. Glances were exchanged. Cassandra stood up. "Then I guess I shouldn't be eating with you either, should I....Bruce?"

Bruce suddenly realized what he'd done. "Cassandra, come back," he called after her.

"See what you did Steph!" Damian scolded. 

"Don't blame me. He's the hypocrite!" she said, grabbing her plate and heading to the kitchen. 

The rest of the table remained silent. "Great, just great! Blondie ruined dinner!" Damian grumbled. 

Tim shook his head, pushing away from the table and walking towards the kitchen. Dick and Barbara glared at Damian. "She's not wrong you know," Barbara said. "Jason is your brother too and he should be able to come home to have dinner with his family, and see his siblings with their masks off." 

In the kitchen, Stephanie was standing at the sink washing her plate off. Tim stepped in and leaned against the kitchen island behind her. "Why did you do that?" he asked, point blank.

"Because I hate how hypocritical he is...how high and mighty he makes himself to be. He's no better than any of us. We all have our reasons for what we do and they're all valid reasons. You know what it is Tim? He comes back from his missions with the Justice League and he's the bad boy of that group. He's the loner, the outsider. So when he comes back, he's back to being the leader and he looks down on all of us like the Gods he fights alongside probably look down on him. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of trying to live up to his expectations. Of feeling like I'm not doing enough, or good enough. And it's not just him. It's you too. You're just as demeaning as him sometimes!" She dried off her hands, turning and waking past him.

Tim followed her through the foyer to the front door. "I'm not demeaning! And you're not perfect either! I think there's something going on with you. All of a sudden you got all this interest in Jason. Well guess what Stephanie, you're a fool if you think that Bruce doesn't wish Jason could be with us. You're a fool if you think for one second that he doesn't feel regret for what happened to him, and you're a fool if you think that I'm the one you should be directing all your hostility at," he said, watching her put on her coat. 

"Yep, that's exactly what I am Tim, a fool!" she exclaimed. "Specially compared to the great Tim Drake, right?" she snapped. She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

"Smooth Drake...You're the king," Damian said as he walked past him and headed up stairs with a snicker.

Meanwhile, Bruce had followed after Cassandra upstairs. He stood outside her door and knocked. "Cassie, please talk to me," he asked. She didn't answer. He leaned against the doorway. "I didn't mean what I said down there. Or it didn't come out like I wanted. There's a huge difference between you and Jason. He masks vengeance with justice and when you killed, it was a long time ago and you had no control over your actions," he said.

The door suddenly opened. She stood red eyed. "Then you're wrong about Jason. You say I couldn't control it, yet we both know that Jason's darkside is born of the Lazarus Pit. He has no control over it either," she said. It had stopped him in his tracks. "In fact, he's got better control over it than anyone because he doesn't go out there mindlessly killing just anyone. He restrains the urges he's cursed with and only lets them out when he pulls the trigger towards a criminal," she said.

She had a point. Bruce knew it. He also knew that this parenting thing was getting harder and harder, and it was different than the boys. The boys were rebellious at times, but always looked up to Bruce without question of his authority or logic. But Cassandra questioned it. She was sharp and intelligent and could see through things they boys couldn't, or at least had the courage to call him on it. He pulled her close to him, hugging her. "You're right sweetie. You're absolutely right," he said, kissing the top of her head. 

Damian came up the stairs and walked by Cassandra's bedroom, glancing inside and seeing the hug. "Ugh!" he groaned, shuffling off to his own room.


	3. Under the Purple Hood

"It's the Hood!" a thug yelled out to his partners. "We gotta get outta here!" From above them, standing on the roof of the box truck parked in the alley, stood the infamous Red Hood. He wore his signature emblem shirt beneath his brown leather sleeved jacket and on his face was a red mask that covered his dark eyes. 

"He don't look very scary to me! Just another one of the Bat-Brats!" another thug grumbled, pointing his gun up at him.

"If you're gonna point that thing at me, you'd better intend on using it," Hood said quietly. 

The first thug pulled the guy around by the shoulder. "You idiot! He ain't like the others! He don't got no rules like The Bat! He won't just hurt you. He'll kill you. Nuff said!" The thug said, pale as a ghost. He tossed his gun on the ground and backed up, nodding to the others who lowered their weapons. 

"Who sent you?" Hood asked them from above. "You're not Falcone's guys," he jumped down, kicking the weapons away and picking up one of the machine guns, examining it.

One stuttered as he answered, "We're with Black Mask," he said. "Sionis," he said. The others were shocked that he told him that. If the Hood didn't kill them, Black Mask would for sure. 

"Sionis huh?" Red Hood asked. "Ya know, someone I used to know was always telling people 'If you run with troubled folks, you're gonna wind up in trouble', and I gotta admit, he's got a point," he said. The original guy was shaking now and the others were starting to sweat. Hood pointed the machine gun at the group of guys. They felt the long stare of death as they looked up the barrel of the gun to the cold eyes of the Red Hood. He snickered as he watched a trail of piss run down on of the guys legs. His finger caressed the trigger. He glanced upwards as he heard something. 

Above him on a fire escape, Spoiler and Black Bat stood overlooking the scene. Hood smirked. "I ain't gonna kill ya. I want you to take a message back to Sionis for me," he said, tossing the gun behind him. "I want you to tell him that his operation is about to come to a grinding halt, and that if I catch anymore of his goons in action, I'll hand delivery their heads to his house myself," he said.

The men scrambled to their feet and ran away for their lives. As they disappeared, Spoiler and Black Bat glided down in front of Hood. "You might as well have killed them yourself," Spoiler said. "You think Scionis is going to take your message well?" 

"If they're smart, they'll just leave Gotham and never look back," he said. "But that's their choice." 

"Why didn't you kill them?" Black Bat asked. 

Jason was saddened at the question. "I'm not cold blooded. I may be hardened and I may be ok with taking a life unlike our father," he explained, "But I don't do it indiscriminately as he'd have you all believe."

"He's going to ask you to come for dinner," Stephanie said from within the hood. Beneath the purple cloak, her eyes gazed upon him like a piece of art work. Over the previous few days, she had become enamored with the thought of him. He was like a puzzle with missing pieces that she was desperate to solve. There was also an undeniable animal magnetism about him that she found herself thinking of whenever she was alone.

"What about his No Jay rule?" he asked, collecting the guns off the ground. 

"You have Cassie to thank for that," she said. 

Cass shook her head. "She brought it up and lit the fuse," she said. "But I did get upset and when we talked, I told him that you're his son and my brother and you should be around our family," she said.

He paused. He walked to her swiftly and opened his arms embracing her. She hugged him back and he fought a tear as he nodded his head. "Alright," he said. "As long as you guys want me there, I'll come," he said. 

Around the corner, an alarm went off. She stepped back. "I'll go check that out. Don't go anywhere," she said to them as she ran off around the corner.

"So you really brought it up at dinner?" he asked. "That couldn't have gone over very well," he said turning to Stephanie.

"I just think it's wrong. I couldn't stay quiet. The other night...the rooftop. You convinced me that there's more to you than just being the Batkid who kills," she said. She looked at him from the shadow of the hood. "You're a good guy Jay," she said. She thought about what he had said about Tim letting her go being a mistake. She looked up at him and could picture the man behind the mask and saw past the dark eyes to the blues within. 

"I appreciate it," he said quietly. "It's nice to know that someone's got my back," he said.

"It's nice to know that there's someone else who's as neglected and rejected in that family as I am," she said. 

"You're not," he said. "I know Bruce and I know that he's probably got a reason for being so hard on you all the time," he said. "It's probably a lousy reason, rooted deep in his fucked up psyche, and don't get me wrong, there's no excuse for it, but I'm just saying...he probably loves you as much as he loves all of you guys," he said. She shook her head. He reached up and pushed the hood up back past her blonde hair, revealing her sad eyes and remnant of a tear that had fallen on her cheek. "You probably remind him of someone, or he probably feels lost because your past isn't like the others. Or maybe he's jealous because you're stronger than he was at your age and you took all the pain from your past and turned it into something powerful all on your own, without his backing or initial training and coercing. Because he didn't choose you....he was just lucky enough that you chose us," he said.

She couldn't contain herself. His words had penetrated her and she thought she felt his hands around her, but it was just her mind reacting to his kindness. Without thinking, she reached up, touching the back of his neck, and pulled herself up to meet his lips with hers. It was brief, but she felt like it was an eternity. He didn't push her away, but he was caught off guard and his eyes stayed open, looking at her as she passionately kissed him in a dreamlike state. She opened her eyes for a second, and realized his were still open. 

She stepped back in horror. "I'm so sorry Jay! I don't know what...why...I shouldn't have," she stammered. 

He reached up and rubbed his cheek and jaw as if he had gotten hit. "Umm, no, it's ok Steph," he said. "You don't have to be sorry," he said. "I just...wasn't expecting..It caught me off guard," he said.

She turned, embarrassed, and put her hood back up. "Please don't tell anyone I did something so stupid," she said. "Specially Cass," she said.

He laughed. "It's really not a big deal," he said. But it was to her. She didn't say anything. She was just suddenly gone into the darkness, leaving him there wondering what had just happened and wondering what he was going to do about it.


	4. Bitter Breakfast

It was early. Normally, he would have found his way to bed by now, but for some reason, be it the action from the night before, or the fact that everyone else at the mansion was awake, Bruce found himself wide awake and unwilling to go to bed. He came up through the bookcase entrance of the Batcave and walked into the dining room.

Damian, Cassandra and Tim all sat at the table eating breakfast. Tim sipped a large mug of coffee as he read from a hardcover novel that he was nearing the end of. Damian was recalling a fight he was involved in alongside Dick the night before as Cassandra ate her cereal in silence, rolling her eyes as he went on and on.  
They all looked up as Bruce entered the room. “Good morning Father!” Damian said.

He walked past them towards the kitchen, kissing the top of Cassandra’s head as he walked by her. “Good morning kids,” he said. 

“You should have been there Cass. Dick electrocuted this one guy and he flew at me. I jumped up and kicked him down to the ground and he was still shaking from the shock. It was incredibly amusing!” he said.

“Mmm hmm,” she agreed sarcastically. “How about you Tim?” she asked. He didn’t answer. She leaned towards him, hearing him quietly reading to himself. “Tim!” she shouted.   
He flung his head up snapping out of his trance. “Huh? What?” he asked.

She laughed. “How’d you do last night? Where’d you go?” she asked.

He went back to his book, but answered her dazedly, “Went to see The Riddler at Arkham,” he said. Damian and Cassie both looked at each other and then turned to look at Tim. He failed to realize it, so he continued reading. 

Damian slammed a fist on the table, startling Tim out of his literary-infused daze once more. “Why the hell did you go see that lunatic?”

“And on your own?!” Cassie added.

He looked at them blankly. “It’s none of your business,” he said.

“What’s none of their business?” Bruce said from behind him as he walked back in and joined them at the table with a plate of toast and a glass of orange juice.

“Father,” Damian said angrily, pointing accusingly at Tim, “Drake went to Arkham last night by himself, and did so in order to visit Edward Nygma.”

Tim looked at Bruce. Bruce sipped his orange juice. “And?” he asked nonchalantly.

“And?” Damian asked, getting mad. “He went alone, on his own. To meet a sociopathic nutcase without anyone there with him,” he whined. “Punish him!”

Bruce laughed. “What for?” Bruce asked. “If Tim went to talk to Nygma, I’m betting he had a good reason,” he said.

“But alone Dad?” Cassie asked. “Don’t you think we should all be accompanied by someone when going there?” 

“Yeah! I mean, I’d be in no danger myself, but the rest of them,” Damian said, “They should initiate some sort of buddy system.”  
Bruce laughed again. “If anyone needs supervision it would be you,” he said. “I don’t want my thirteen year old going ANYWHERE, in general, without a chaperone.” Damian furrowed his eyebrows and scoffed. “But Tim is old enough and smart enough to know what’s a good idea and what’s a bad idea.” He took a bite of toast and looked up at Tim. “How is he?”

Tim looked up from his book. He had gone back to ignoring all of this as they squabbled. “He’s fine. He’s bored, but that’s par for the course with prison,” he said. 

Damian got up and stormed out of the room, but before he made it to the door Bruce called out. “Damian! Dishes.” He grumbled to himself and turned, scooping up his dishes and leaving to the kitchen. 

“What did you go there for?” Cass asked him.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I just wanted to pick his brain for a bit,” he added.

She shook her head, going back to her cereal. “I still don’t think you should have gone alone. Next time let me know and I’ll go with you,” she said. 

He scoffed quietly. “I knew you were busy. It’s not a big deal,” he said. He picked up his dishes and book and got up, leaving the room. 

Cassandra looked at Bruce who sat there reading the Gotham Gazette. “I can’t believe you don’t care about this!” she said.

“Cassandra, your brother is more mature than young men twice his age. If he felt in order to obtain the information he needed for whatever it is he’s working on, by going to a facility where the man he needs to speak to is dangerous, but contained on the other side of a glass cell, then I trust him to do so,” he explained. “What was the last part about though?” he asked. 

Cassandra shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “I was out patrolling with Stephanie. I don’t know why he seemed upset about that,” she said.

“Well, it was Stephanie,” he said. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

“He still has feelings for her?” she asked confused. 

He smiled at her. “Sweetheart, when you love someone, it doesn’t just go away if the relationship ends,” he explained. “Sometimes it never goes away at all,” he said. “I think your brother has been thinking a lot about his relationship with Stephanie and there are explanations that are finally formulating in that genius head of his that are leading him to realize what he’s lost and how much she really meant to him when they were together,” he said.

“Oh no,” she said, immediately regretting she had uttered any reaction at all.

“What is it?” he asked concerned. 

She contemplated replying that it was nothing, but she knew he wouldn’t let it go now that she had reacted that way. She sighed. “I think he saw us last night,” she said. She took a deep breath. “Stephanie and I went and saw Jason last night,” she paused, waiting for him to have a reaction to the news, but he just waited for her to continue. “We were with him for a bit and I think Stephanie has a crush on him,” she said. 

“Well that would explain his reaction,” he said. He shook his head. “So that’s why she was so defensive of Jason at dinner.” He said. She looked sad. “I’m not saying she was wrong Cassandra,” he said, reaching across and touching her hand. “The invitation to him still stands. But if Tim knows about this, which I’m sure he has deduced by now, then I’m sure it can only add to his heartache,” he said. There was a long pause. He looked at her and raised a brow. "Jason doesn't have any reciprocal feelings towards Stephanie does he?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure," she said. And the silence returned to the dining room.


	5. Drake's Distraction

Bruce Wayne stood on the stairs in the main foyer of Wane Manor, looking down at all the socialite guests in attendance. “I want to thank you all, for your generous contributions to the Wayne Foundation’s Homeward Bound Fund. In conjunction with Saint Swithun’s, your donations will help in the continued effort to find happy, safe and supportive homes for the many orphans housed at Pennyworth House, a new temporary home for orphaned children,” he said, raising his glass to the crowd, who began to clap in unision.

“As you know, I myself was once an orphan. I am the man I am today, due in large part to this new facility’s namesake, Alfred Pennyworth. It is only fitting that the man who took me under his wing and made me whole again, have his namesake bestowed upon a place that will continue his legacy and help children the same way he helped me.” There were more claps.

At the bottom of the steps, the Wayne kids stood, and a the back of the room Stephanie watched, sipping wine as Bruce continued. “I myself, have gone from lonely bachelor to adoring father of five,” he smiled down at them. “So you can understand how much of a personal passion this project has been for me. So once again, I’d like to thank all of you for everything you’ve done to help this become a reality. I, along with all the children who are now enrolled at Pennyworth House, are eternally grateful. Thank you!” Once again he raised his glass, and the rest of the room raised their owns, toasting to the victory.

As the crowd went back to mingling and enjoying the party, the Wayne kids returned back to their original posts. As Cassandra approached Stephanie at the side of the room where she leaned against the wall, she smirked. Stephanie grinned back. “He really does love these things, doesn’t he?” she asked Cassie.

The two girls laughed. “Come on…this one was special! Don’t be too hard on him,” she said. 

Jason made his way over with a smirk of his own. “Well, you gotta give it up to us,” he said. “We all clean up quite nicely, don’t we?” he asked rhetorically. He was right. The boys all in matching suits, clean cut and clean shaved, with their matching dark hair; Cassandra in a beautiful, black, form-fitting floor-length dress. Stephanie was wearing a white dress that was similar. The girls’ hair was done beautifully, as if they were off to prom.

“All but you Jay,” Cassandra joked. Stephanie looked down at the floor, avoiding making eye contact with him as the two shared a laugh. Cassandra looked at her, and then back to Jason who had a knowing look. She backed away from them. “I’m gonna go get some air! You two have fun,” she said.

Stephanie looked at her with a panicked look in her eyes. Cassie kept walking, leaving the two of them together alone. Jason looked at her, reading her discomfort. “You ok?” he asked. 

She nodded. He nudged her. “Steph, don’t worry about the other night,” he said. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

She finally looked up at him. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one who acted like a fool,” she said. 

“If I’m not upset about it, why should you be?” he asked. “It’d be a different story if I had been mortified and made a big deal of it, but I didn’t,” he said. “I’m being understanding and cool about it. So you should be too,” he said.

She shrugged. “I guess so,” she said. “I’m still sorry that I did it. I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said, still showing embarrassment.

“We’ve been through a lot the last few months,” he said. “Emotions get high and signs get misread. It happens,” he said reassuring her, “Getting caught up in the moment is not a crime.”  
From across the room, Tim stared. Dick and Barbara followed the line of sight from Tim’s eyes to Stephanie and Jason and exchanged looks of concern when realizing what was going on. 

“You ok buddy?” Dick asked.

Tim didn’t answer at first. He just watched as Stephanie and Jason conversed, observing the look of anxiety and sadness on her face, slowly change to a more comfortable and happy expression. He finally spoke. “Nothing,” he said. 

“You sure Tim?” Babs asked. “You seem upset about something,” she said, stating the obvious. 

“Nope,” he said, walking away, leaving the party and heading to the study.

“What’s up with that?” Babs asked Dick.

He shook his head. “Kid’s still got it bad for Steph,” he said. “Can’t blame him…She’s pretty hot,” he said. Babs elbowed him in the ribs and he gasped, half laughing and half groaning. 

She looked over at Stephanie and Jason. “And what’s going on with them?” she asked. “Please tell me she’s not crushing on Jason all of a sudden!”

“Yeah,” Dick confirmed. “Don’t say anything, but I guess she kissed him the other night. It came out of nowhere. He didn’t know what was happening.” She was shocked but held in her urge to laugh out of respect for the poor girl. 

In the study, Tim entered the Batcave through the grandfather clock. When he was angry and needed to escape, he would always come down and log onto the Batcomputer. Whether it was scanning frequency chatter for action, or researching open cases, he was desperate to take his mind off of what was bothering him. Tonight, it was the image of Stephanie and Jason together. His brother and his ex, leaning against the wall at the party, conversing as she gazed into his eyes longingly and he made her laugh with his sarcastic comments. On the screen, he pulled up Gotham City street cams, monitoring for action across the city. With the majority of the family upstairs at the party, it left the city vulnerable against criminals. Selfishly, he took it upon himself to be the only one watching the city as the others played house. However, he wasn’t the only one. Damian had already beaten him to the punch. Tim caught a glimpse of Robin skulking around the lower levels of the Bowery. 

Tim got up and headed to get his uniform. Robin and Red Robin would guard the city tonight, but while justice would be on the menu, in the back of his mind, Tim wouldn’t be able to escape the image of the Robin he had, at one time replaced, replacing him in the eyes of the woman he loved.


	6. World's Greatest Detective?

Tim didn’t belong here. He knew it. Everyone in the place knew it. From the uncomfortable way he moved through the place, to the way he brushed away the billows of cigarette smoke from the path he took from the entrance to the crowded bar, he clearly stood out. But he had made up his mind. He was never much of a drinker, but tonight, he was going to drown out his thoughts in a sea of alcohol. 

He waited for several minutes as the bartender worked through the crowd of patrons ordering. Slowly but surely, he found himself at the edge of the bar. He made eye contact and the bartender raised a brow, looking Tim up and down. Tim rolled his eyes and held up his fist, flashing the black inked “5” stamped onto the back of his hand. “I’ll take a whiskey,” he said.

“Bourbon? Scotch? Rye?” the bartender asked. 

Tim shrugged. “Whatever’s the strongest,” he answered. The bartender smirked, shaking his head as he walked back to make the drink. He watched the act on stage, a burlesque style trio of girls dressed up as various Gotham bad girls. Tim shook his head and muttered to himself. He left a ten dollar bill on the bar and took his drink, looking around.   
He slipped between the crowd and made his way over to a small table along the side of the bar. His eyes scanned the room. He instinctively identified all the entrances and exits of the room. He shook the thought from his head and lifted the drink, taking a big gulp. From behind the bar, the bartender laughed out loud watching as Tim began to choke and cough. Tim grumbled to himself as he took another, much smaller sip. 

He looked around at the girls that were in the club. He expected the place to be crawling with seedy Narrows-dwellers, but was surprised at the amount of college kids in attendance. In a fleeting fantasy, he envisioned bringing one home to the Manor to sleep with like a normal single guy. It wouldn’t be hard, he thought, knowing what his address would mean to most girls.  
But he knew better. When it came to girls, Damian was right…he had no game what-so-ever. He was awkward and nervous, and most of all un-relatable. No, he wouldn’t be bringing a girl home, no matter how much he wanted to believe that it would make him feel better. The truth being that he didn’t want any other girl, he wanted Stephanie. He wanted to be with the girl he had loved, not with some random girl who might think she’d be set for life if she connected with one of the Wayne boys. 

He took another sip, finishing the small snifter of whatever type of whiskey he had ended up with, not being able to tell the difference in the slightest. With his lack of food or sleep in the past 48 hours, the drink had almost-instant effects. He was about to get up and leave, giving up on this charade of trying to fit in and process his feelings the way a normal boy his age would, when the bartender from earlier sat down across from him. He slid him a refill whiskey, this one on the rocks and watered down with soda.

Tim looked at him curiously. “Saw you finished. Figured you’d like a refill. Maybe an ear to listen,” the bartender said. “That’s what we bartenders are known for,” he said with a wink.

Tim grabbed the drink and took a swig. “Don’t you have to be at the bar itself to play bartender?” Tim scoffed.

The bartender laughed. “I make exceptions for the Wayne brothers,” he said with a smirk. Tim glanced up at him with a look of surprised and looked around the bar, hoping that no one heard him. “Don’t worry, your secrets safe. You must be Tim right?” Tim nodded. “Your brother Jason comes here a lot,” he said.

Tim’s mood changed immediately at the sound of his brother’s name. He leaned back, clenching his fists on the table. “This is definitely more his place than mine, that’s for sure,” he said.

The bartender grinned. “I sense some hostility towards him?” he asked.

Tim scoffed. “He’s no brother of mine,” he said, crossing his arms and looking out at the crowd.

“What’s this sibling rivalry about?” he asked, “He’s always spoke pretty highly of you,” he added.

Tim looked up at him, “Oh yeah? Does he?” he asked. “What’s he have to say about me? That I’m some naïve kid who doesn’t even realize that he was able to waltz in and steal my girlfriend?” Tim asked loudly.

The bartender raised a brow, sliding the drink in front of Tim away from him. “Steal your girlfriend?” he asked with a laugh. “You really don’t know much about your brother do you?” he asked. “Maybe you should talk to him yourself about all this? You might be surprised?”

Tim angrily planted his palms on table, pushing himself up from his chair. “Maybe I will!” he said. He didn’t say another word, but just pushed past anyone in his way to the exit and left the club. 

The bartender watched him with a smirk and took out his cell phone. It rang four times and went to voicemail. After the beep, the young man spoke. “Hey Handsome, just wanted to give you a heads up. Your brother Tim was just here at the bar. Looked pretty pissed. He was going on about you stealing his girlfriend. I thought you said he was like some genius detective?   
Clearly you’ve been covering up your tracks enough for him not to detect your real interests. Speaking of, call me when you get a chance to break free from the bad ass playboy bit to have a little fun.”

He hung up the phone and picked up the unfinished drink and headed back to the bar. “Oh to be a fly on the wall for what’s about to go down,” he said to himself.


	7. Seeing Reds

Jason was ready for his guest, but he didn’t expect the entrance Tim made. He was always the more level headed Robin, but with a total lack of regard for private property, Tim kicked the door off the hinges as he entered Jason’s small apartment. He entered and looked around sharply. Jason couldn’t help but smirk after getting over the initial shock of the breach. When Tim saw him, and saw the smirk, he charged in an alcohol-fueled frenzy.

Coming in low, he speared Jason in the mid section, driving him back into the small kitchen table, shattering it. Jason grabbed Tim around the neck, struggling with him. “Little brother! To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asked jokingly as they wrestled for dominance.

Tim caught him off guard with a headbutt and managed to get on top. “Save your pleasuring for Steph you piece of shit!” he wailed on him with his forearms and elbows. Jason took the beating, managing to block a few shots with his own forearms before kicking Tim off of him, sending him stumbling backwards across the room.

“Tim, what the hell are you talking about?” he said, rising from the floor.

“You know damn well what I’m talking about! What was it? Still hung up on the fact that Bruce replaced you with me? So you’ve gotta repay the favor and replace me?!” he charged again. As Jason caught a punch, Tim spun with a roundhouse, kicking his brother in the head and knocking him off guard, before dropping down with a spinning sweep kick, taking him off his feet. Tim had the upper hand. He dropped down, crushing Jason’s throat with his knee. He put pressure down, pinning him to the ground and taking control.

“There’s nothing…going on…between me and Stephanie, Tim!” Jason coughed. He recharged during the reply, getting the energy to roll up, raising his legs and catching Tim around the throat with his legs, squeezing and hurling him to the side. He coughed as he got up. “You need to calm down!”

Tim had tears in his eyes as he gritted his teeth, charging again. “Don’t tell me to calm down!” he pounded on Jason’s chest as his brother caught him in a bear hug. Tim pounded hard. He took shot after shot, but Jason was now blocking every one, letting his little brother get it all out. “You stole the one thing in this world that makes me feel alive!” he growled. 

Jason grabbed his wrists and shoved Tim against the wall. “Tim! There’s nothing going on between me and her! You’re my brother! I would never do that to you!” he said, pinning him against the wall. Tim’s anger was subsiding along with the burst of energy he had. He went weak in the knees and began to cry. Jason pulled him in and hugged him tight.

“It’s ok. It’s alright bud,” he said rubbing his head. “You’re alright.” 

“But I saw you. And she kissed you,” Tim said.

“She kissed me. And she was just caught up with emotions. She’s confused and messed up in the head right now,” Jason told him. 

Tim pulled back, “Messed up?” 

“She’s just got a lot on her mind. She’s going through a lot. Bruce said some nice things to her. It got in her head. She’s feeling loved and accepted for the first time and I think the love got to her head. She took a conversation we had as something it wasn’t. She’s like a little sister. I promise you, it’s nothing,” Jay explained.

“What did he say to her?” Tim said.

“He just told her that he was wrong about things,” he said. “Shocker, I know. But you know who always appreciated her Tim? The person who has been her number one supporter since Day 1, and is singlehandedly responsible for her taking a better path in life?” he asked. “You.”

“She doesn’t care about that. I thought that she wanted to be with me, but she doesn’t. She just wants to be part of our family. She doesn’t want to start one with me,” he said. 

“You don’t know that Tim. You won’t until you talk to her,” Jason said. There was a long silence. They both looked around the room. “Thanks for the redecorating,” he said with a smirk. 

“It looks better this way,” Tim said, wipping his eye with his sleeve and managing to laugh. “I’m sorry Jason. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you,” he said. “And I promise, your secrets safe with me,” he added, giving him a knowing look.

Jason raised a brow. “If you knew, then why did you think I would do something like that to you?” he asked.

Tim laughed. “Because being bi means you like girls too,” he said, matter-of-factly. Jason had a curious look on his face, shaking his head. “You’re wondering how I knew?”

Jason laughed. “A little curious,” he said. “I’m sure Watson was always curious how Sherlock managed to piece things together. So how’d you know, Boy Wonder?” he asked, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall. 

“Well, there’s the fake machismo you give off to others, over compensating on your masculinity so that people don’t realize what a softy you are at heart,” he began. “But your boyfriend gave you away. Or whatever he is to you…no judgement here,” he said. Tim motioned to the sink. In it were two martini glasses, and a metal shaker. “Not a home kit you buy at the store. It’s from an actual bar. Since you don’t know how to make a drink to save your life, someone must have made it for you,” he smirked.

“And a female bartender couldn’t have come by and made drinks?” Jason asked.

“Not unless she’s into wearing cologne. The same cologne as the bartender at The 5-Spot,” Tim said, now proud of his handy work. “He was speaking pretty highly of you, and I could smell his cologne on your shirt,” Tim paused. “You probably would have thrown me off slightly if you actually did laundry once in awhile.”

Jason laughed, shaking his head. “Well played kid,”. Tim beamed with self-satisfaction. “And thanks. Maybe someday I’ll come out to everyone, but for now I’d like to keep it private,” he said. Tim nodded. “Why don’t you crash here for the night and we’ll go home tomorrow. You can sober up and figure out what you’re going to say to Stephanie, and I’ll figure out how I’m going to finally make peace with dear old Dad,” he said.


	8. Chapter 8

Tim knocked on the door, quickly putting his hand back down to his side and teetering nervously back and forth waiting for it to open. Inside, the sound of Band of Skulls faded and the door swung open. There she was. Stephanie stood in the doorway looking slightly surprised to see Tim standing there. As his eyes raised from the floor, he swallowed hard taking in the image of her standing in a pair of short-shorts and a camisole. 

“Tim? What’s up?” she asked.

He shook himself out of the gaze. “I’m sorry to bother you so late,” he stammered, “I just…I was hoping we could talk,” he said.

She didn’t say anything. She stepped back, swinging the door open as a sign for him to come in. He stepped inside and she closed the door, leaning back against it and folding her arms.   
“So, speak.” 

He looked down again, partially due to nervousness, but also not wanting to get distracted looking at her half-dressed form. “I’ve been a jerk lately,” he said. “I know that. But I want to apologize, and try to explain,” he said.

“I’m listening,” she said, stepping away from the door and turning off the music completely. 

“I thought something was going on, that wasn’t,” he started, “And I reacted immaturely without verifying that what I thought was even true, and the truth of the matter, is that it was none of my business to begin with.”

“What exactly did you think what going on?” she asked, leaning back against her desk.

He turned to face her. “I thought there was something going on between you and Jason,” he said abruptly. 

“Nothing was going on between us!” she said. “And if there had been, you’re right, it wouldn’t be any of your business. You and I aren’t together, so I …”she said.

He interrupted her. He had to. He needed to get it out. “I know that Stephanie. And I’m sorry for reacting the way I did when I thought there was. But what I’m really sorry about is that I haven’t just been honest with you,” he said.

It was his chance. He knew he had to take it. He was nervous but he reminded himself of the criminals whose asses he had kicked in the past, and the death-defying leaps and risks he’s taken on his own body; surely, he could work up the courage to open up to her. “I love you Stephanie Brown. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you. From the moment Robin, met you. What I thought was just an attraction to a pretty girl, has only grown stronger and stronger the longer we’ve known each other. To have you living in my home, a few doors down, and want so badly to sneak in and spend the night with you in my arms…seeing you at the dinner table and wishing that we were in the same boat as Dick and Barbara…I love you. You’re the only girl I’ve ever loved, and you’re the only girl I ever want to be with,” he said. 

He paused briefly, but when she stayed silent, he continued, trying to keep from stammering or stopping. “You are the strongest, bravest girl I’ve ever known. You’re beautiful, both inside and out. You never give up, whether it’s an argument, or a fight. I’ve been by your side for so long, as a friend, a confidant, a protector, and a partner, and all I’ve ever really wanted is to be by your side as the man you called yours,” he said. “I know you don’t feel the same about me. I’m not an idiot. I might have missed some things and come to the wrong conclusions about you and Jason, but I know how to read signals, and you’ve only ever pushed me away.” 

“I didn’t want you to get close to me like that Tim, because I didn’t want you to fall for me,” she said softly. Now Stephanie was the one looking down at the floor.

“I know, because you didn’t feel the same, and I’m sorry that it happened anyway. I’m only telling you because I need you to know how I feel so that you can understand why I’m the way I am. So I’m sorry,” he said, turning. 

He reached for the door knob but she reached out and pulled him back by the shoulder. “Tim, you’re so dumb sometimes! I didn’t want you to fall for me because you can do so much better than me. I’m not worth the effort. You’re the son of Bruce Wayne, and I’m the daughter of a two-bit criminal. I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and had to give my own baby up for adoption because I’m such a fuck-up I couldn’t take care of her myself. I’m the only Robin who was fired from the position. I couldn’t even be a sidekick to Batman!”

“Steph! Stop. You are the only girl worth loving in my eyes! Your lineage makes you who you are. You’re stronger and have more resolve inside you to do good because of who your father was. You are the Spoiler! The whole reason they coined that name for you was because you spoiled your criminal father’s plots. The fact that you made a mistake and got pregnant doesn’t tell the world what kind of girl you are…the fact that you gave your daughter up for adoption does. You did the hardest thing in the world because it was the right thing to do, and even though it hurt, and still does, you did it for the right reason. She has a better life because of it, and you’re a better person because of it. It’s the most courageous, brave , unselfish act of pure love that someone can make. And as for your position as Robin? You’re not a sidekick because you’re too good to be one. You’re your own hero. I know Bruce regrets the way he treated you, but firing you was one of his biggest mistakes, and I’m sure it’s one his biggest regrets!” 

She was crying. He lifted her face. “You’re incredible. And regardless of how you feel about me, I will always be here for you,” he put his hand on her head and pulled her in gently to hug her. He held her in that embrace for several minutes. 

She finally looked up at him. He wiped away a tear with his thumb. He was about to apologize to her again, but she pressed her lips to his before he could get a word out. He kissed back, wondering if it was a dream. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight, melting into him. This is what he wanted, but more so, it was what she needed. Someone to understand her and lift her up when she was down. 

She broke the kiss. “I do love you Timmy,” she said. “We’re very different, but you’ve always been the sweetest guy I’ve ever known. It took awhile for me to come around to reality and appreciate you, but I see it now and I love you too. I want to always have you there by my side. I need you,” she said.

It was all he needed to hear. He scooped her up and kissed her again. She let him lift her, bending her knees. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she lifted her legs, wrapping them around him. They kissed for what seemed like hours, moving to her bed, laying on their sides and staring into each others eyes in between kisses. “Stay with me tonight?” she asked. 

He nodded and pressed his forehead to hers. “Always,” he said.

**Author's Note:**

> So I was on Tumblr and came across a few fan requests of fanfics/canon involving Stephanie Brown realizing and trying to convince the rest of the Batfamily that Jason Todd isn't all bad. I also am a fan of Steph and enjoy being able to write her in a better light than the actual comic book writers tend to portray her. So I've written this little piece, teasing one item that I may or may not explore further, depending on the response I get. As always, your thoughts/comments/kudos are greatly apprecaited (and help to put my self-conscious/self-deprecating psyche at ease slightly). Hope you enjoy..


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